Champions of change

From farm to fork, food waste has become a global problem and, as SIG knows, change starts with individuals committed to make a genuine difference

The world today is more efficient and advanced than ever. But when it comes to the global food chain, waste is still a growing problem – for the economy, the environment and humanity. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, roughly a third of all the food produced for human consumption every year — around 1.3 billion tonnes — gets lost or wasted. That’s enough to feed three billion people or 10 times the population of the USA.

From spoilt crops and improper storage to cosmetic standards and discarded produce, there are many causes of food waste, making it challenging to implement global-wide solutions. But great change starts with individuals – people willing to take responsibility, drive awareness, combine efforts and make a real difference. It’s a way of thinking that’s easy to find at SIG, where its people play an active role in tackling social and environmental problems.

SIG calls this global network of responsible employees its Way Beyond Good Champions – individuals committed to working within SIG, and beyond, to plan and conduct activities that promote environmental accountability in society and bring SIG’s Way Beyond Good mission to life. SIG’s Way Beyond Good initiatives, activities, projects and campaigns have been launched all over the world, from the streets of Brazil to the schools of New Zealand, where people are the driving force for change.

The power of people

For Ecaterina Plesca, a Way Beyond Good Champion based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, the initiative’s success boils down to the power of collaboration. “The Way Beyond Good initiative has created an excellent platform where we can exchange ideas, share experiences and learn from our diversity, while all being committed to the same principles,” says Plesca.

“In Cluj-Napoca, we are a team of champions with each of us providing input for SIG’s global campaigns. We motivate each other to help bring out the best from us and our colleagues for every action we engage in. Because, if you want to have a strong impact and you want your message to be heard, you need a team passionate about driving change.”

Activities for Ecaterina and her Way Beyond Good colleagues have included cooking for people in need using restaurant-donated food and organising a food waste workshop with a local chef. A similar campaign took place in Chester, USA, where Way Beyond Good Champion Kevin Abrams helped organise a cooking demonstration to show how easy it is to use unwanted food in creative ways.

For Abrams, Way Beyond Good Champions is a way to make a genuine difference, both locally and globally. “My involvement in our local outreach programme in Chester has instilled in me a sense of responsibility with the larger community in which we do business”, says Abrams. “With this, I knew that becoming a Way Beyond Good Champion would help me a create positive impact on a larger scale.”

Ultimately for Champions like Plesca and Abrams, reducing food waste is all about leaving a net positive footprint – both now and for generations to come.

A new campaign for good

Beyond our Global Food Waste Campaigns, our Champions are currently involved in a new programme, Cartons for Good: an initiative that will help save surplus food to feed schoolchildren in Bangladesh. This is an ambitious project that has the potential to have a positive impact for children and support SIGs Way Beyond Good Programme promoting a more accountable and responsible society.

Want to know more about SIG’s Way Beyond Good Champions? Contact us now or read more about SIG’s net positive approach WAY BEYOND GOOD.